The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1887-07-23

Some Of tho ScandalOus Charges Made
Against the Father OF Hls Country.

Gen. Washington was probably as
much abused as any president who has
ever acted as the chief executive of the
United States. At one time he said that
he had been abused worse than COM
mon pickpocket, and he was charged
with all sorts of crimes during his adj
ministration, says the Cleveland Leader,
The Philadelphia Aur0ra was. perhaps,
the most bitter. When Washington left
the presidency it had jubilant article
over the close of his term, in which it
said:
''If ever there was a period of rejoic-
ing this is the moment. Every heart III
unisiOn with the freedom and happiness
of the people ought 20 beat high with
exultatiOn that the name of Washing
ton this day ceased 70 give currency
to political lniquity and to legalized
corruption. A new era is now open
ing upon us-an era which promises
much to the people; for public meas
ures must now stand upon their own
merits, and nefarious projects can no
longer be supported by name. 1t is
subject of the greatest astonishment
that single individual should have
carried his designs against the public
liberty SO far as to have put in jeopardy
its very existence. Such, however, are
thesfacts, and with these staring us in
the face. this day ought to be jubilee
in the United States"
John Randolph of Roanoke at dim
ner once proposed the toast: George
Washington; may he be ID" This,
however, was too strong for the COM
pany, who were enemies of Washing
ton, and he had to add the proviso,
IF he signs jays treaty." before they
would drink to it.
In 1895 "a Calm Observer i'm the New
York Journal accused Washington of
being thief. He stated that he had
overdrawn his accounts and that he
owed the treasury $l,037. Another
writer accused Washington of hypo-
crisy and declared that he wanted to be
king. A third criticised his carriage
and his aristocracy, and. in fact, all the
opposition newspapers denounced him
in unmeasured terms. Congress went
against him during his second term and
refused to celebrate his birthday,
though they had been accustomed to do
80, and when he refused to return for
third term they charged that he did SO
because he feared that he could not DO
elected.
1t will be surprising to the people to-
day to know that Washington was
once charged with murder. 1t was DUR
ing one of his presidential campaigns.
The Philadelphia aurora made the
charge. 1t stated that Washington had
during one of the battles of his early
life. shot an officer who was bearing a
flag of truce, AMI that in the papers re-
latIng to the affair he had ackuow-
lodged the act of assassination. Peter
Porcupine takes up the charge in his
letters and proves it TO be false. The
fact, however, stands that the charge
was made.
Speaking of Washington, / see that
some of the goody-good newspapers Of
the country are very indignant at the
statement in Quackenbo's history that
Washington at one time ate peas with
a knife. do not doubt but tho state
ment is true. The whole literary United
States at the time of Washington. how
ever, seemed to be mutual admira-
ton society. and there is little unfavor-
able gossip about the white house din
ners. l found the o,ner day. however,
Maclays Diary. giving his experiences
during his term as senator of the United
States when Washington was first presi-
dent Maclay dined with Washington
number of times, and scattered
through his diary are little bits of gos-
sip about these dinners. At two of them
he describes Washington rs amusing
himself during all the dinner by play
ing the devils tattoo upon the table
of these dinners: ''The president kept
fork in hand when the cloth was taken
away. thou hit for the purpose of pick
ing nuts. He ate no nuts. but played
with the fork, striking on the edge Of
the table with it."